Fog-horn.



No. 703,400. Y"Patentd July 1,1902.

VSE. AJGILL.

FDG HORN.

(Application tiled May 24, 1901.)

' (Mo-Model.)

Wvinesse be upon the top surface of the water and not UNTTnD STATES PATENT rricn.

ERNEST A. GILL, OF GLOUOESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,400, dated July 1, 1902. Application filed May 24,1901. Serial No. 61,818. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t indy concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST A. GILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gloucester, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fog-Horns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of my new foghorn. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, part of the mechanism being shown broken away for clearness. Fig. 3 represents in sectional View the pipe which leads from the aircompressor to the reed. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the air-valve. 5 is a sectional view on line A A, Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail showing the water-valve in the bottom of the air-compressor. Fig. 7 is a detail showing the extension-arm.

My invention relates to fog-horns operated by air and used in sailing vessels; and the object of :my invention is to provide a foghorn which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

One feature of myinvention resides in the means provided for the egress of water shipped by the fog-horn. The bellows are placed above the air-compressor, and the air-compressor is provided on its lower surface with a valve which permits the egress of water shipped through the horn. The compressorV being below the bellows the air-pressure upon any water shipped into the compressor will through the water,` as happens in the case where the bellows are underneath the compressor. In the latter case the passage of the air through the water causes a sputtering sound and an ineftcient operation of the foghorn.

The second feature of my invention resides in the provision of a small entrance-apertureV leading into the pipe which connects the compressor with the horn and the enlargement at a short distance above said aperture of the said pipe. Since the area of the entenance of the steady pressure in the pipe free' from disturbing-currents. The obtention of this result is also aided by providing a space above the top of the pipe and back from the free end of the reed. This is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

A third feature of my invention consists in the direct connection betweenl the'bellows and the compressor, from which leads the air-conduit to the reed. This feature enables me to simplify and cheapen the construction by the omission of one partition. Where a compartment is provided between the bellows and the compressor, two partitions must be used, and since these partitions are exposed to alternate wetting and drying they crack and render the case leaky, thereby lessening the pressure and volume ofair passing by thereed, and so the loudness of tone and the efciency of the fog-horn.

Another feature of my invention resides in the small inlet provided for the entrance of theair into the bellows. ByV reason of this small inlet a vacuum is formed when the belvlows are raised or expandedyand the production of this vacuum greatly increases the rapidityA of closing of the valve between the bellows and the compressor. Agaimby placing the bellows above the air-compressor gravity aids the closing of the valve which admits the'air intothebellowsjand permits Athe top piece of the bellows to be free from valves.

Another feature oflmy invention resides in the peculiar form of valve idevised. The valve is made of two piecesof'leather which inclose a thin'ring of metal; This construction permits the center portion of the valve to be iiexible 'and prevents the edges of the valve from curling, as ordinary valves usually Ydo after a wetting of the valves by the salt water. In my new valve the edges cannot curl up, and yet at the same time the iiexibility necessary to efficient operation or sealing` is obtained at the central portion of the valveby making it olf-leather. s In my new fog-horn all air-valves are above the water shipped,which is agreat advantage. In my new fog-horn the horn is placed on top of the casing, and the ordinary handlegis provided with a socket in its top for the reception of an extension-arm, as shown iniFig. 7. The casin forms a stable support for the IDD horn, and by this support the horn is raised to a height suficient to clear the bulwarks of the ordinary sailing vessel when the casing rests on the deck. By means of the eXtension-arm the skipper in enabled to blow the horn with one hand while he steers with the other. Since the horn is raised above the bulwarks, the sound is clear and distinct and not obstructed by the bulwarks.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, a represents the casing, within which are inclosed the bellows l) and the air-compressor cand the pipe d, connecting the horn c with the air-compressor c, and in which is journaled the shaft f, to which is attached an arm g, provided with a handle 7L. This handle is formed in its upper portion with a socketi (see Fig. 7) for the reception of an extensionarm j. The horn e is secured upon the top of the casing a, which forms a stable support for it and which raises the horn to a sufficient height to clear the bulwarks of the vessel when the casing rests upon the deck. To the middle of the shaft fis attached the crankarm 7c, connected to the top of the bellows b by means of the links Z. The air enters the bellows through the inlets m and the inletvalve n and passes through the passage o, controlled by the valvep, into the compressor c and thence through the entrance-aperture q into the pipe d, which is formed with an enlargement r a short distance above the entrance-aperture q. The velocity of the air diminishes in passing from the entrance-aperture q into the enlarged portion r, and a steady pressure is maintained in the pipe free from currents. Extending at almost right angles from the pipe CZ is the reed-chamber s, within which the reed tis secured. The free end of the reed zi projects over the mouth of the pipe when the horn e is secured in place, as is shown in Fig. 3. In the bottom of the air-compressor c are formed apertures u, controlled by the water-valves U. Between the bottom of the air-compressor c and the casing a are interposed springs w. In Figs. 4 and I have illustrated my new air-valve. Two thin sheets of leather .aux inclose a metal ring y. This metal ring gives rigidity to the edges of the valve and prevents them from turning up or warping upon drying after being wetted, and the leather in the center gives a flexibility which is desirable in this kind of valve.

The water-valve u (shown in detail in Fig. 6) differs from the air-valve in that thread is wound around the metal ring at intervals to form slight projections. When the watervalve is relieved from air-pressure, these projections raise the valve slightly above its seat at points between the projectionsthat is, the Valve rests on these projections-and the water shipped through the horn e and col' lected in the air-compressor c flows out under the water-valve between the projections.

In the operation of my new fog-horn the handle is moved back and forth alternately, compressing one side of the bellows and eX- panding the other side. The bellows are placed on top of the compressor, and from this many good results are obtained. The top piece of the bellows is free from valves. The closing of the valve n, which controls the inlet, is aided by gravity, and therefore is quicker. Theinlet Im, which admits airinto the bellows, is comparatively small, and when the bellows are expanded a vacuum is formed which aids in the rapid closing of the valve p, that controls the admission of air from the bellows into the air-compressor. The air flows from the air-compressor through the small aperture q in the bottom of the pipe d, and a steady pressure is maintained in the pipe. Vhen the pressure of air in the pipe is raised to the proper degree, the reed is caused to vibrate. The combination of the narrow entrance-aperture q into the pipe, the enlargement a" of the pipe just above the entrance-aperture g, and the space provided by the reed-chamber s all tend to the maintenance of a steady pressure, and thereby to the maintenance of a sustained and uniform note or sound.

In case water is shipped by the horn it iows down through the pipe d into the compressor c and then drips through the valve 'v in the bottom of the compressor, as above explained. By this construction the bellows and coinpressor are freed from the water. The pressure of the air is on top of the water and not through it, and hence no sputtering takes place, and all the air-valves are above the water, an important advantage.

What I claim is- 1. A fog-horn made up of a casing; a bellows; means to operate said bellows; an aircompressor below said bellows; a horn above said casing; a reed; and an air-conduit connecting the horn with the air-compressor.

2. In combination in a fog-horn, a bellows; an air-compressor below said bellows, said y compressor being formed with apertures in its low and connected by a passage with said air-l compressor; and a valve controlling the passage between the air-compressor and the bellows.

5. In combination a fog-horn; a bellows; an air-compressor below said bellows and connected therewith; a horn; an air-pipe con- IIO . necting said horn with said air-compressor; l the bottom of said air-compressor and the bot-` said air-compressor being formed with apertom of the easing; and said casing. tures in its bottom; and valves controlling In testimony whereof I have hereunto set said apertures in the bottom oi' the eonipressmy hand, in the presence of two witnesses, at 5 ors; each of said Valves being provided with Boston, in the oonnty of Suolk, State of Mas- I5 projections on its outer edge, and formed saehusetts, this 21st day of May, A. D. 1901.

with a fiexible central portion. ERNEST A. GILL.

G. In combination a fog-horn; a. bellows; en Vitnesses: air-compressor below said bellows and oon- H. M. KELSO,

ro neoted therewith; spri ngs interposed between JAMES HAMILTON. 

